Right now, all I can say is that the solver will be locating (and using) several Megaphonez in order to call for necessary objectz. It definitely will be true that what you ask for will be provided ... but not necessarily when you think you may need (or want) it. Your Gruntz will also spend most of their time Bare-handed ; Gauntletz will have to break gauntlet-breaker Brickz to move on; Springz will have a double row of Spikez to cross; Toobz will have to use Landing Dockz with ToobSpikez on them; et cetera. Bricklayer Gruntz will be calling for gauntlet-breaker Brickz , unbreakable Brickz and explosive Brickz (and maybe Gauntletz , in order to break some Brickz that aren't truly breakable). And (because Gamer mentioned lack of such use) there will also be Scrollz and Magic Wandz of several varietiez. I'll also throw in several PowerUpz (usually lacking in my CLz) that will be necessary in order to pass certain obstaclez to the solution/movement of sub-puzzlez.

I am leaving the graphicz set at "Honey, I Shrunk the Gruntz" for now (because there don't seem to be many CLz in that area ), but the puzzle needz will prevail over the graphicz set used. The size of the overall map also will depend on just how creative I manage to become, and the space needed to do justice to the sub-puzzlez. It will definitely be larger than 32X24 and smaller than 100X100, though.

Post by GooRoo on Dec 19, 2005 23:28:48 GMT -8

The background is now 'roughed in' ... subject to changez as the sub-puzzlez demand them, and about 1/6th of the sub-puzzlez are in and tested. I am fairly certain that the size of the overall map will not change from what I have right now, so will modify the original post in the 'size' cell. I have 8 Megaphonez in the CL so far, and it is not too far fetched for the rate to hold throughout the CL, so there will be around fifty Megaphonez calling for objectz. It is too late for me to do anything more on it tonight, so 'the Brickyard' will be tomorrow's project.

Post by GooRoo on Dec 20, 2005 15:59:04 GMT -8

'The Brickyard' is now complete, but I ran into a bit of a disappointment when I was testing another sub-puzzle ... one using a Magic Wand with the Rolling Ballz. I thought that Rolling Olivez would just keep on rolling, as long as they didn't crash into anything. Wrong! There is a time limit on the 'life' of the Rolling Olivez, so the finale of the CL will be somewhat easier on you solverz ... instead of having Bridge stepping stonez toggling, they will have to remain up permanently.

I am now approximately one-third complete with the puzzle, not counting soundz, Voicez and EyeCandy, et cetera. (You know, the 'window dressing'.) So far, three Red Warpz, but no Secret Switchez. Since the Red Warpz are necessary to the solution of the CL, it will not be playable in 'Easy' mode. One hint: the first Tool called for by a Megaphone is the last Tool you should take from the GruntzMachine. One ongoing challenge will be to keep the GruntzMachine from overflowing.

Post by GooRoo on Dec 20, 2005 23:32:02 GMT -8

Here is an image of a small portion of the map, a 32X24 screen grab of a 96X80 puzzle. This is still the 'rough draft', without EyeCandiez, et cetera.

Edit: (GooRoo) I will provide an updated screen image of the 'teaser' soon ... I have slightly modified the Custom Level as part of my project to create a walk-through for the puzzle. For one thing, I made the true colorz of some of the Brickz in the BrickYard visible to the solver, as a clue to where Gold Brickz (safe to hit, but unbreakable), and Red Brickz (lose your Gauntletz) may be. Also, explosive Brickz sometimez occur in place of Gold Brickz ... just to keep the solver alert.

Post by GooRoo on Dec 21, 2005 17:56:47 GMT -8

I have most of another two major sectionz of the map filled in, and expect to have the rest of those two done and tested before I retire for the night.

It is getting harder to come up with original puzzlez, since there have been so many very well done CLz put out in the last year, with their own creative (innovative!) sub-puzzlez. Also, the graphicz presented to the Gruntzer community seem to be more and more artistic. Perhapz the tile set, with odd shapez and such, is the reason why the first four ("Rocky Roadz" through "High On Sweetz") seem to be so popular. (I have had to go to some lengthz to make those geometrically perfect rectangular and diagonal tilez look 'right' for what I am trying to do.) So you Gruntzerz will readily recognize my drawing from such CLz as "Remember The Way" for some of this CL. (The final section may be 'proved' to be ready to enter it, by looking at a completed section.)

Post by GooRoo on Dec 22, 2005 19:42:15 GMT -8

For me, the 'difficult' part is the hourz I spend designing and testing these CLz, only to have them solved (by someone) the same day I release it. It would take at least forty Gruntzerz working their way through my CLz to equal my design time, I think. (But we don't have forty Gruntzerz actively posting, so I must assume that there are less than forty Gruntzerz solving!) I need to work harder at making my puzzlez puzzling, so that there is more discussion (ala "Eruptions", "Decoy Ahoy!", "Waterworld", etc.) about how to solve certain partz.

Post by oldone on Dec 22, 2005 19:56:29 GMT -8

I know what you mean. Gaby and I were talking about the same thing. Hours and hours of work and it's done in a flash. It's like cooking a big meal (aka Thanksgiving), it takes days to prepare and it's eaten in just 15 minutes.

Post by GooRoo on Dec 23, 2005 18:48:43 GMT -8

I now have a very strange problem in this CL ... the very first Switch I put in has suddenly stopped working! And another Switch, activated by a Rolling Olive (one time), also refusez to work. I tried to put in a work-around for the Rolling Olive (which allowz the solver's Grunt access to the Switch), but the Switch doez not work when a Grunt stepz on it, either! I have a very unattractive work-around for the 'first Switch' problem, but it seemz that I will have to remove the non-working Switch entirely, and replace it with another somewhere else.

Here I was beginning to think that I would have the CL complete and ready for BETA testing this year, and now it appearz certain that it will be a 2006 release. (If I had seen this problem before in some other CL that I designed, or one that I 'upgraded', I would know what to do ... but this is a very new 'wrinkle' in Gruntz, as far as I am concerned.)

Post by GooRoo on Dec 25, 2005 16:05:31 GMT -8

Well, for the very first time, I have managed to bring the Warpstone to the King's Fortress (legally)! Now I have to adjust the Coin count ... while 121 is 112, I was planning for more like 125 or 150. Since I have a few placez where I intended to have Coinz when this CL idea came to mind ... that do not have Coinz ... I may be able to easily make it $1.25 . I also have a 'keep track' area where I can add about forty Coinz (in case I come close to 150 with the placez where a Coin is missing) to make it an even 200.

I will be ready for a BETA tester tomorrow (Monday) or Tuesday. Any volunteerz?

Post by GooRoo on Dec 29, 2005 17:07:38 GMT -8

Gaby found a loophole that allowed an alternate (easier) solution to a sub-puzzle than the one I intended. Loophole now closed ... but back to ALPHA testing, due to additionz and correctionz I have made since Gaby started the BETA testing. (I am still striving for either 150 Coinz, or 200 Coinz for a "PERFECT!" score ... and it will likely be easier rolling back to 150 than go up to 200.)